Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumfries and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Dumfries and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,785 in Dumfries versus $2,651 in Manchester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,755 in Dumfries versus $3,871 in Manchester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,725 in Dumfries versus $5,091 in Manchester.

Living in Dumfries costs roughly 33% less than in Manchester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dumfries 33% above, Manchester 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 £12.25

$20.74 £15.45

-20.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 £66.1

$94.5 £70.4

-6.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 £5.92

$10.75 £8.01

-26.05%

Cappuccino

$3.87 £2.88

$4.94 £3.68

-21.66%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 £1.72

$2.59 £1.93

-10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 £1.00

$1.70 £1.26

-21.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 £2.96

$7.41 £5.52

-46.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 £3.73

$7.52 £5.60

-33.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 £1.10

$1.62 £1.21

-9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.80 £1.34

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 £1.90

$2.16 £1.61

18.06%

Eggs

$3.57 £2.66

$4.08 £3.04

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 £6.01

$12.05 £8.97

-33.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 £7.47

$9.75 £7.26

2.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 £11.72

$17.39 £12.96

-9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 £1.89

$3.30 £2.46

-23.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 £1.75

$1.84 £1.37

27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 £1.76

$3.82 £2.84

-38.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 £2.49

$4.35 £3.24

-23.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 £1.59

$2.10 £1.56

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 £1.43

$1.80 £1.34

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 £0.91

$1.31 £0.97

-6.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.47 £1.10

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 £13.94

$18.73 £13.95

-0.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 £8.04

$10.64 £7.93

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 £2.44

$2.57 £1.91

27.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 £2.26

$3.49 £2.60

-13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.23 £3.15

$2.75 £2.05

53.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 £73.5

$121 £90.3

-18.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 £4.14

$5.49 £4.09

1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.19

$2.85 £2.12

-43.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.04 £10.46

$34.28 £25.54

-59.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.96 £1.46

-4.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.3K £28.6K

$37.8K £28.1K

1.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.3K £30.8K

$41.8K £31.1K

-1.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$234 £174

$295 £220

-20.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.59 £10.87

$22.44 £16.72

-34.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.77 £35.59

$42.92 £31.97

11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 £37.89

$42.39 £31.58

19.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.02 £20.13

$16.07 £11.97

68.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 £9.66

$13.72 £10.22

-5.47%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,614 £1,202

$1,944 £1,448

-16.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K £12.0K

$20.8K £15.5K

-22.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.7 £70.6

$90.6 £67.5

4.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 £42.58

$41.85 £31.18

36.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.7

$89.5 £66.6

46.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 £88.8

$106 £79.1

12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 £472

$1,637 £1,220

-61.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 £413

$1,256 £936

-55.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 £760

$2,702 £2,013

-62.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 £719

$2,077 £1,547

-53.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 £3,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,671 £3,480

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,570 £2,660

$3,247 £2,419

9.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.92

-7.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dumfries: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manchester: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $633 in Dumfries and $1,637 in Manchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dumfries pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89.0 in Dumfries vs $94.0 in Manchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $335 per month, with Dumfries cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dumfries vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumfries is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dumfries pays 10% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $633 in Dumfries versus $1,637 in Manchester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dumfries – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $94.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,785 per month in Dumfries versus $2,651 in Manchester – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,785 in Dumfries versus $2,651 in Manchester, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dumfries but tight or insufficient in Manchester. The gap between the two cities makes Dumfries the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dumfries is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manchester, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Dumfries gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.